STANDING FIRM

Michael Casey

I came across the following passage recently in a book called “Strangers to the City” by Michael Casey, a Trappist monk. It's about our Benedictine vow of stability. I found his thoughts really enlightening, and so I would like to share some of them here:

In such a social climate [in the present day], the idea of committing ourselves to perseverance seems imprudent, if not lunatic. Everything changes so rapidly that we do not know what tomorrow will bring. This is where it is important to emphasize that the vow of stability is not based on the non-variability of community life , the Church, or society. Stability is grounded on the unchanging fidelity of God.

It may be true, that it was all so different before everything changed, and that in the course of a lifetime, many major adaptations are demanded. It is our faith in God's fidelity that enables us to weather whatever storms come our way.

Another image of stability is a building designed to withstand earthquakes. Contrary to our untutored expectations, the building is designed to sway with the movement of the earth, rather than to stand solidly on moving throughout the trimmers. If it moves, it survives; if it attempts to resist the movement it cracks open.

Stability comes from the verb stare, to stand. We all know that it is very difficult to remain standing for a long period without moving. The best way to remain upright is not to stay still but to keep walking. We can walk for much longer than we can stand, because the various muscle systems are alternately worked and rested.

Stability is not immobility. It is the knack of remaining constant in the midst of change. The best example of this is a surfer. He knows that to get up and stay up on his surfboard. He needs to be aware of the movement of wind and water, so that he can certainly adjust his center of gravity the best way to persevere is to keep growing. This will not occur without periods of relative slackness and occasional wobbles, but the important thing is to keep moving forward, to keep adapting to changed circumstances, and to re-orient oneself toward the goal.... 

Stability is not a commitment to sameness. On the contrary, it is a springboard that projects us into the future and ensures that the charism does not atrophy. As such, it is an ongoing call to transcendence, not an excuse for nesting in the present (194-195).